West Bridge Journals

R L Lewis, An Original “Florida Highwaymen”

His brush flew back and forth across the canvas, adding and blending warm, bright colors, all the while smiling, talking and reminiscing about the “Highwaymen”. The beautiful Florida landscape painting was finished in less than an hour. What a joy I had talking to this true Florida treasure, RL Lewis. Long time friend Dr. Jimmy Deas, Pastor of Westwood, had squatted down beside him watching and talking. RL introduced him to me as his pastor. We had a good laugh over that, but that is how this gentleman artist treated everyone. Jimmy’s wife Sherry, also an artist, had been there since she and Jimmy arrived taking mental notes and watching RL work and talking to RL Jr. After watching for a while I knew this was indeed a happy and bless man creating a masterpiece before me.

It was the Wild Azalea Festival in Famous White Springs Florida, one of our beautiful small Florida towns, and BJ and I were having an outing. The weather was perfect, with flowers all in bloom, and friendly folk everywhere. After visiting the craft booths, where BJ bought a couple of hand bags, we move over to the visitor center where the entertainment stage was set up. BJ bought a funnel cake that we shared, while listening to the music. There is nothing better at a festival than a fresh fried funnel cake.

I had wanted to come after seeing Johnny’s post on face book. He is a walking, talking promoter for Steven Foster State Park and White Springs, and he will make you want to come. Another reason for coming was one of the original “Florida Highwaymen,” RL Lewis was going to be there. This artist was one of 26 African Americans that sold their beautiful Florida landscape painting out of the back of their cars in the 1950’s and 60’s. I was looking for him when BJ pointed him out under the gazebo surrounded by his art.

Having had their paintings denied by the art galleries in the segregated south, these determined artist took to the highways, where their paintings wound up in honky tonks, banks, motels and seafood restaurants up and down the backroads of Florida. Their prices ranged from 5 to 35 dollars. To own one of them today, they could be worth thousands of dollars. One sold a few years ago for ten thousand dollars. The market for them died in the early 80’s and many paintings found their way into flea markets and yard sales where they went for almost nothing. However, in the mid 90’s the artist were brought back from obscurity by Jim Fitch, and were given the name Florida Highwaymen, and many of the artists that were still living went back to painting, RL Lewis among them. In 2004 all 26 were inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.

While not having enough money to purchase a painting or a print, I bought one of his calendars which had 13 of his paintings on it. I know a few artists, of which most I like, one being my sister Linda, and another is my aunt Mary Ann, and of course Sherry. They are as humble as RL. Some are too egotistical for me, and I guess that is why I liked RL Lewis so much and became a fan. It was a great day…